Boston Red Sox critic Joe West to ump series at Fenway  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Umpire Joe West will be working the Red Sox-Royals series that begins Thursday night in Fenway Park, the first time the veteran umpire will be working a Sox game since he called out the Sox and Yankees last month …

One run is enough for Cubs, Lilly to beat Dodgers  —  CHICAGO (AP) — No matter how good this one looked, Ted Lilly really wasn't sure this was his best start of the season.  Either way, he'll take it.  —  Lilly pitched seven scoreless innings, Tyler Colvin drove in the lone run with a double …

What the heck is wrong with Tim Lincecum?  —  Tim Lincecum's career high for walks in a game is five.  —  He tied it tonight.  And by itself, that isn't so alarming.  —  Except he also tied it in his previous start, at Arizona.  And in the start before that, at home vs. the Astros.

News and notes from Fenway: Ellsbury's ribs OK but sore  —  The MRIs and CT scan taken in Tampa Bay on Jacoby Ellsbury's ribs were reviewed by the Sox medical team and indications are that Ellsbury did not suffer a new injury or re-injury to his ribs according to a team source.

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes finds his confidence, and at the same time, his legs  —  There was no physical problem with his legs as he struggled through the opening months of the season, Jose Reyes said.  But the confidence he has always felt while running was slow to return, hampering his game.

Lohse is likely to need surgery  —  Kyle Lohse, center, struggles through the third inning in which he gave up five runs against the Angels on Saturday.  The Angels beat the Cardinals 10-7.  (David Carson/P-D)  —  SAN DIEGO — Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Lohse is suffering …

Rockies go back-to-back-to-back in rout of Arizona  —  For the first time in more than month, they had the brooms out in the Coors Field stands Thursday.  And for the first time all season, they produced the desired result.  —  The Rockies' 8-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks gave …

Rumblings and Grumblings: Under-the-radar acquisitions that have sparked teams  —  Scott Rolen to the Reds and Colby Lewis to the Rangers among the key acquisitions  —  It's the stuff that happened this past winter while everybody else was digesting the 1,000th Roy Halladay trade rumor of the week.

Chipper Jones May Walk Away from $20 Million  —  It's not quite embarrassing for Larry Wayne Jones - yet.  Chipper is hitting just .226 with a .729 OPS, but he is just two years removed from the best offensive season of his career (2008 when he hit .364 with a 1.044 OPS) …

Bill Lee, 1974  —  Well, I met Bill Lee.  It was last Wednesday at Fenway, or actually at the Red Sox Team Store right outside Fenway on Yawkey Way.  —  I've been having trouble writing since I got back from my book tour through the Northeast, possibly because the foundation of my writing …

Neck stiffness continues for Votto  —  CINCINNATI — Right-hander Sam LeCure will be called up from Triple-A Louisville and make his Major League debut for the Reds on Friday vs. the Astros.  —  LeCure will fill the rotation spot of Homer Bailey, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with right shoulder inflammation.

Game Time … ANAHEIM, Calif. — No one in an Angels uniform felt worse than Bobby Abreu when the tying run scored in the top of the ninth, largely because he had dropped a flyball earlier.  —  No one felt better than Abreu did in the bottom half, after he atoned for his mistake with the game-ending hit.

Dodgers inquire about Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt  —  Chances of a trade are unlikely, but GM Ned Colletti says team would consider adding salary on a case-by-case basis.  —  The Dodgers have had little response from their inquiries about Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee, left, and Houston Astros starter Roy Oswalt.

Melvin not hunting for catcher  —  By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel  —  I just talked to general manager Doug Melvin after hearing that No. 1 catcher Gregg Zaun might be out for the rest of the year and Melvin said he won't necessarily seek a veteran catcher.